10
Dallas Buyers Club is a great movie for two reasons: Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto. Their lead performances undoubtedly make Dallas Buyers Club an emotionally hard movie to watch. It has a classic theme of government being a part of the problem rather than the solution, yet here this results in the death of thousands by the AIDs virus. What's most moving though is how one person with the AIDs virus, homophobic, redneck Ron Woodruff, who values his masculinity over all else, begins to empathize with those living in the gay community of the 1980s. It's tough to watch Woodruff become a better person and fall in love with his nurse (Jennifer Garner) knowing that he could never be physically intimate with her. Their romance is a proverbial what-if because of his disease. As death grows within Woodruff, he orbits around those things in life that made him feel alive. There's also Jared Leto as Rayon, a transgender woman, who is morally strong while the judgements of society weaken her. It's a powerful performance. For an interesting and opposing view about Leto's character read this criticism:
9
In keeping with tradition, I need to honor at least one comedy. I admit This is the End isn't perfect and certainly doesn't reach the hilarity of Pineapple Express or Superbad, but this Seth Rogen and Jonah Goldberg written comedy is still hilarious. This is the End mocks many of the actors and actresses in today's biggest comedies, except while doing this they play versions of their real-life selves attending a James Franco party. It works so well because so many people grew up with these actors and know their personalities. I, like many others, loved watching James Franco being verbally assaulted for his horrible turns in Spiderman and the Oscars. And it's great to see America's sweetheart, Jonah Hill, just slightly outshine his buddies. It's a goofy and flawed movie with a very basic point--stop being a dick--but it works so well. Danny McBride steals the show. Can he play himself in every movie he's in? Please.
8
The Great Gatsby is my favorite book, so it was definitely a relief that director Baz Luhrmann made a very good movie adaptation. I loved the excessiveness of the music and visuals. That's what Gatsby is all about. If there were ever an age closest to that of the original novel, it must be today. We love the American dream and our constant search for happiness, yet increasingly that dream is crushed by the reality of today's world [see Inequality for All below]. Gatsby, played superbly by today's Robert DeNiro, Leonardo DiCaprio, embodies the neurotic pursuit of unattainable ideas. Gatsby is an admirable and sympathetic character, and I loved watching every interaction he had with Daisy Buchanan. Give me some more Lana Del Ray, because I can't help but associate her "Will you still love me" theme with Daisy and Gatsby's romance. Luhrmann clearly has great command over the source material, so how did he get Nick Carraway so wrong? He's not a jolly, goofball but a quiet observer slowly becoming disillusioned by the age in which he lives. Regardless, Gatsby was visually stunning; the music was addicting; and the performances were strong. So we beat on, boats against the current.
7
If you talked to me in October, Prisoners was probably my best picture pick. The fact that it is so low on my list now is a testament to the kind of year Hollywood had. I loved this movie. It was terrifying. Hugh Jackman is a father who interrogates a suspect (Paul Dano) who he thinks abducted his children while a detective, played by Jake Gyllenhaal in a subtly strong performance, frustratingly remains one step behind the audience in solving the crime and two steps behind director Denis Villeneuve's next plot twist. I don't watch too many thrillers, but this one is as close to Silence of the Lambs as anything I've yet to see. It's a dark suburban world these characters live in, and while I couldn't wait for the plot's resolution, I was on the edge of my seat every step of the way. If you like suspense, or even if you don't, get out and see this smartly made film.
6
Inequality for All makes in at number six not because it's a cinematic feat, but because I just don't understand how you cannot be convinced that America is sick and needs to find a cure for wealth inequality. Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich makes this argument in a clear and convincing way. Increasingly our system of economics is holding down a majority of American society. Do people realize how wrong it is to have this myth of the American Dream when in reality it does not exist? Yes, some people are anomalies and pick themselves up by their bootstraps but don't ignore the collective. Perhaps Secretary Reich's best point, which I want to scream from the rooftops, is that wealthy people aren't job creators, it's consumers. Thus shouldn't America alter the rules where the rich get richer and everyone else gets screwed over. Please, no matter your political affiliation, give this documentary a shot. I truly believe that if informed most Americans would see this as a bipartisan problem that needs to be solved.
5
If this movie were out last year, it would easily be my Best Picture pick. Nebraska so perfectly captures how I feel so often. It nails the absurdity of small-town life around mostly white, close-minded people. Yet, it goes deeper than that. It's about understanding your parents as people and overlooking and accepting the flaws of others in order to find contentment. Woody Grant, played by Bruce Dern in a once and a lifetime performance, thinks he won the lottery and will not stop at anything to leave Billings, Montana to get to his home state of Nebraska to collect his "winnings." While he is a senile alcoholic, it's tough not to empathize with this clearly broken person. It's an emotionally difficult movie to watch at times, which is a credit to Alexander Payne's script, since I was always laughing. I can thank June Squibb for that too. If I have one Oscar wish this year it's that June Squibb needs to win. It was also great to watch the characters drive through South Dakota, where I live now. A woman behind me in a Boston theater gasped and said, "Oh my gosh, look how empty it is there." Indeed it is empty but so full of life.
4
Putting my best picture pick as number four on my favorite movie list might be a mistake. Well, I admit, I may regret this one later. I loved, loved, loved 12 Years a Slave. It is beautiful. It is heart-wrenching. It's a punch in the gut that most Americans need. Slavery is absolutely one of the worst acts of American history. Nowadays we like to psychologically detach ourselves from the true horror of the past, but 12 Years a Slave reminds us of the millions of lives our forefathers destroyed. All the performances are incredibly strong. Before this movie, even being a pretty well-informed student of history, I didn't fully understand what taking away freedom does to the human spirit. As Solomon Northup, acted beautifully by Chiwetel Ejiofor, struggles to hang on to his soul, director Steve McQueen skillfully juxtaposes Solomon's position with that of his peers, who were born into slavery, and know that they will live and die in captivity. It's a hard movie to watch. The ending just breaks me.
3
I'm a sucker for movies that dig deep and hurt but also end on a happier more inspiring note. This would be my Oscar pick if the The Butler were nominated for Best Picture. It's outrageous that this movie has been forgotten by the Academy. Although the choice of actors is sometimes over the top for American presidents--Hey, there's Robin Williams!--Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, and David Oyelowo really add a lot of heart to this movie. This is not an African American Forrest Gump as some like to say; rather it explores something much more meaningful: African American identity development. It's truly fascinating to watch Cecil Gaines, head butler of the White House, be a gradualist for Civil Rights while his son Louis can't wait any longer. If this had been a less thought out movie, it may have ended with Cecil being celebrated by Ronald Reagan. But really the ending is just the beginning for Cecil. As he sits down at a table for mostly white government higher ups, he realizes what his son learned long ago. Again this hurts. It's supposed to hurt. Yet, director Lee Daniels does reward us with a smile at the end. This movie was thought-provoking and a joy to watch. The Butler is a perfect example of what makes movies great. As a white male viewer, I do not know much about African American identity, but for roughly two hours I could at least be allowed a glimpse at it. This glimpse for many people can be a catalyst for empathy. Every American needs to see this movie, because our memories are too short.
2
The Act of Killing. If there was an Academy Award for best title it would be for this documentary. This film is insane. That's the best way to describe it. First, the Killing. In Indonesia, right now as you read these words, mass murderers walk the streets of Jakarta as free and celebrated men. Documentarian Joshua Oppenheimer follows a handful of pseudo-soldiers who exterminated over 2.5 million communists and Chinese people in Indonesia during the 1960s. Not only did they commit these crimes, but they had enough power to spread a false narrative of history in which they are the heroes. Thus, they speak freely and sometimes joyfully about their murderous past. Next, The Act. What's surreal about this documentary though is that Oppenheimer convinces these men to reenact their crimes in order to make a faux feature film. We are then able to watch them, primarily murderer Anwar Congo, debate and critique their own evil in order to make their massacre scenes as realistic as possible. The killers begin to understand their own sadism as they become more engrossed in their film. Anwar, in particular, becomes caught in the horror of his acts due to Oppenheimer's ruse. The Act of Killing is hilarious at times too. It's just downright bizarre. If there is one must-see film on this list, The Act of Killing is an immediate Netflix watch. The ending is about as perfect as it can get given that Anwar will probably never see the inside of a jail cell. But trust me, Oppenheimer comes as close as anyone in getting him there.
1
Okay, if I were truly honest I would probably switch The Act of Killing to the number one spot on this list; however, Before Midnight has a special place in my heart since I saw it two Januarys ago at the Sundance Film Festival. I wrote director Richard Linklater telling him how much I loved the first Before movies and asked him for tickets to its premiere. It was awesome. Nevertheless, this is a phenomenal movie. Has there ever been a movie more realistic about marriage and love? The dialogue sharply explores the sacrifices we make for love and how insecurity both tests and strengthens relationships. But this isn't any ordinary couple. It's Jesse and Celine, two characters whose relationship has been chronicled three times in the past twenty years. These movies aren't going to be for everyone. You need to enjoy ninety minutes of smart, flowing dialogue but also have a little bit of life experience to draw from. Time is so crucial to these movies that writers Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke make sure to continually allude to death in order to show just how important it is to spend time with the right person. Before Midnight does not have the star power to be nominated for the major Academy Award categories. Yet all three of the creators should be considered Oscar snubs. Hawke and Delpy in particular seem to process, create, and say their dialogue as if in a real conversation. This is perhaps one of the best explorations of love in movie history. Go out and see this trilogy if you haven't.
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Honorable Mentions: Philomena, Wolf of Wall Street, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Blackfish, The Lone Ranger, To the Wonder, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug
Acclaimed Movies I Haven't Seen: Fruitvale Station, All is Lost
Overrated: American Hustle, Gravity, Her
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Now...
If I picked the Oscar winners.
Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio... Bruce Dern... Matthew McConaughey... I can't make the call
Best Supporting Actor
Jared Leto
Best Actress
Amy Adams (but it really should be Julie Delpy)
Best Supporting Actress
June Squibb
Best Adapted Screenplay
Before Midnight
Best Original Screenplay
Nebraska
Cinematography
Gravity
Visual Effects
Gravity
Costumes
American Hustle
Director
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Best Picture
12 Years a Slave
